In BlizzCon last month, when we got our first glimpse at Diablo 2 Items, the surprise came not from the announcement itself but in how the execution apparently exceeded all expectations. Impressive, contemporary 3D visuals that remain true to the look and feel of the first. Visuals that sit at the top of those classic 2000-era pixels, presenting a radical visual makeover which preserves what makes Diablo II, nicely, D2.

"It's a different type of challenge," Rob Gallerani, Primary Designer on Diablo II: Resurrected informs us asked about the decision to go 3D whilst keeping the 2D core. "I will assert that it is simpler than attempting to rebuild brick-for-brick the whole game. I'd rather take the Sistine Chapel and rotoscope it over afterward be like here's a bunch of images, go build it over here. It does have unique challenges because we're seeing behind the curtain."

For Diablo II: Resurrected, that includes the game and the Lords of Destruction growth, one way to think about it's because rotoscope or tracing sense. Using the underlying assets and game for a way to push the 3D layer. On top of taking each and every part and recreating it, animating it, including textures, and light too -- that the challenge mainly derives from the very nature of moving 3D.

"When you've got a sprite-based 2D world it's a flat thing on a level thing. And today you've got stairs with altitude, you have undulating ground that a sword has to fall onto. Even simple things such as readability turned into a challenge, like a Paladin's Aura. The way that you're able to see the Aura very clearly lets you know you have that particular Aura. What if you are walking into a grassy field and the aura has been obstructed by grass because that's 3D now and it is physically on the floor and growing up throughout the Aura. Well, you have gained realism but lost a certain amount of readability and clarity.

"The background could be fancy pillows, it may be piles of skulls, it could be sand dunes, but it's actually just a flat image," Rob Gallerani clarifies. "When you drop a sword, that is a 2D sprite. It's just a horizontal sprite and Buy Diablo 2 Resurrected Items it sits on top and you'll see it.